Figment Art Festival Gives Opportunity to Play With Art

A significantly different kind of art festival is coming to Pittsburgh this fall after making appearances in New York, Boston, Detroit and other major cities. The Figment Art Festival from October 6-7 in Allegheny Commons on the North Shore will focus on visitors interacting with the art.

The Figment Art Festival will not have vendors or sell anything, including admission tickets. Everything is free and open to the public.

Tom Prigg, festival spokesman, said the art submitted for the festival does not have to come from an artist or professional. Anything can be submitted as long as it's safe and does not involve fire. He explains how the festival differs from others.

"Typically for an art festival and the way people think of art are paintings on the wall," Prigg said. "The thing about the Figment Project is art is participatory and interactive and that means it's kind of the structural art that you can actually play with."

Prigg said the art featured at the Figment Art Festival is more experimental in terms of what the participant does with it.

"A lot of times the art will change its behavior in response to the person who is interacting with the art," Prigg said. "Instead of the 'look and enjoy,' it's more 'play and experiment with.'"

Prigg said the festival is intended for all ages and particularly families.

"The entire thing is really about the community putting it on," Prigg said. "It's basically everybody in the community is what the idea of what it expands to and who it encompasses."